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I was browsing the short-term rental site airbnb.com the other day when a pop-up informed me that the owner of one of the properties was a friend of friend! It was surprising, but then again, I wasn’t surprised. Why? Because privacy is dead. In the era of , Twitter, Linkedin, Instagram, data mining, and company-specific chat rooms and social media, just about everything we say or do becomes public record at some point in time. If you don’t believe me, just ask Anthony Weiner. The toothpaste is out of the tube and it’s not going back in.

File photo dated May 23, 2013 shows former US Representative Anthony Weiner as he greets voters and residents in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City after announcing he was running for New York City Mayor. The mayoral candidate admitted July 23, 2013 of sending lewd texts and photographs under the moniker 'Carlos Danger' to a young woman after resigning from Congress over a similar scandal two years ago. According to news website 'The Dirty,' Weiner, 48, used the name to contact the woman on Facebook and establish an online relationship with her which involved the exchange of intimate photographs. In a statement from his campaign team, Weiner confirmed that the latest allegations were substantially true but tried to present them as having been covered by his previous confession. A poll last week suggested Weiner is well-placed to become the Democratic candidate to succeed Michael Bloomberg as the mayor of New York, with voters apparently largely indifferent to his scandal-tainted past. New York's mayoral election is scheduled for November 5. (Image credit: AFP/Getty Images via @daylife)

That said, there have to be some boundaries, particularly in the workplace. It’s creepy to think your employer is poring over your “private” life on Facebook. And for leaders, there’s a real danger in free-clicking employees spreading proprietary information or badmouthing your company or employees.

How do we deal with this thorny issue of Workplace Privacy? Here are 5 suggestions:

1) Be careful! Since we all know privacy is dead, think twice about what you post, write or send. A friend of mine uses the 10-second Rule: Before posting, count to 10, reread the post making sure you’re comfortable with the contents being seen by, well, just about anyone (including your boss, boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse, and colleagues). If so, then send.

2) Set up a firewall. Leaders should make snooping in employees’ Facebook and other social media pages strictly off limits. A dozen states have recently passed laws that prohibit employers from accessing employees’ personal social media accounts. But that leaves 38 states where the issue is super muddy. Company lawyers and HR must be up-to-date here.

3) Set an example. This is area in which leaders can have real impact through example. Engaging with social media means opening up, being transparent, and using these amazing tools to foster communication, boost morale, and improve results. But it takes some savvy to find the sweet spot between “I care” and “overshare”. Hire outside consultants to help you find the right tone and content if you need to. Hint To All: Humor helps.

4) Don’t overreact. Yes, we live in a new, open reality. But we can’t let it inhibit us. Technology is supposed to make our lives better, not instill fear in our hearts. Be yourself online, but be your best self. Don’t gossip, denigrate, or judge. Especially in work related posts, keep your current project in mind. Social media, at their best, are a blast! So please don’t go into a protective crouch.

5) Be honest. If you mess up, own up. This applies to leaders and employees in equal measure. At some point in our lives, we’re all going to make a social media faux pas (or worse). Admit it immediately and apologize to those affected. And then move on. We’re all human and that’s a beautiful thing.

The rules have changed. Privacy is dead. We live in a new, open world. It requires some skills to navigate this emerging landscape. Mastering it is a necessity for success.